leedsacwwfandomcom-20200214-history
Leeds Airlines Flight 980
Leeds Airlines Flight 980 (commonly referred as the Miracle in Home) was Leeds Airlines' scheduled international commercial passenger flight from Leedstown Hurnwick Airport to Porttown Regional Airport. On 13 November 2011, the aircraft flying this route, an Boeing 717-200, was successfully ditched in Lake Home, in the River Home in Home six minutes after takeoff from Leeds after an instrument failure. The instrument failure, which occurred out to sea just south of Home about three minutes into the flight, resulted in an immediate and complete loss of all controls except yawing, banking, ascending, and descending. When the pilot of the aircraft determined that they would be unable to reliably reach any airfield (the co-pilot disagreed, incorrectly saying they could reach Leeds when in fact they would crash a mile short in the village of Charnock), they turned northbound and shortly after the turn, they lost all power to the engines. They glided over Home, finally ditching the airliner in the river pool of the River Home about three minutes after losing power. Originally when the aircraft softly hit the water it sunk below the surface due to the downward momentum of the aircraft before hitting the water, but it floated to the surface seconds later. All 116 occupants safely evacuated the airliner, which was still virtually intact though partially submerged and slowly sinking, and were quickly rescued by nearby ferries and other watercraft. The pilot of Flight 980 was later awarded the Master's Medal of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. The award citation read, "This emergency ditching and evacuation, with the loss of no lives, is a heroic and unique aviation achievement." It has been described as "the most successful ditching in aviation history." Flight designations, route, and crew Leeds Airlines Flight 980 was an international route from Leedstown Hurnwick Airport to Porttown Regional Airport. On 13 November 2011, the flight was cleared for takeoff from Runway 4 at Leeds at 1954 UTC, after being severely delayed due to a number of aircraft changes after the original Airbus A300 was found to be faulty on the gate. This A300 was replaced by two Boeing 727s, one of which refused to take off after several attempts and returned to gate. This was then replaced by the doomed Boeing 717. The crew made its first report after becoming airborne at 1955 as being at 700 feet (210 m) and climbing. There were 116 passengers and five crew members, including the captain, first officer, and three flight attendants, on board. As is often the case when a regularly scheduled commercial flight is involved in an accident, use of the flight's number, 980, was discontinued for subsequent operations of the carrier's evening LIA-LGA-MDW service. On 14 November 2011, the route was redesignated Leeds Airlines Flight 979, and on 15 November 2011, the aircraft usually operating the route was changed from an Airbus A300 to a Boeing 767-300ER. Aircraft The aircraft was a Boeing 717-200 (registration N-XRIC), powered by two Rolls Royce BR715-A1-30 turbofan engines. One of 40 717s then in service in the Leeds Airlines fleet, it was built by Boeing with final assembly at its facility at the Boeing 717 Manufacturing Plant in Long Beach, California, in 1999. Delivered to AirTran in 2000, it was leased to US Airways briefly in 2002 before going back to AirTran, and it was sold to Leeds Airlines in September 2011. The aircraft's FAA-required maintenance records, released by Leeds Airlines the day after the accident, showed that by the time it was involved in the accident, its airframe had logged 16,299 cycles (flights) totaling 25,241.08 flight hours. Total time on the engines was 19,182 hours on the left (#1) and 26,466 hours on the right (#2). The last A Check, a maintenance check performed every 550 flight hours, was passed on 6 December 2010, and the last C Check (annual comprehensive inspection) on 19 April 2011. The mechanical energy of the two engines is the primary source of routine electrical power and hydraulic pressure for the aircraft flight control systems. The aircraft also has an auxiliary power unit (APU), which can provide backup electrical power for the aircraft, including its electrically powered hydraulic pumps; and a ram air turbine (RAT), a type of wind turbine that can be deployed into the airstream to provide backup hydraulic pressure and electrical power at certain speeds. According to the NTSB, both the APU and the RAT were operating as the plane descended into the River Home, although it was not clear whether the RAT had been deployed manually or automatically. All LA 717s have been modified to have a "ditching" button that closes valves and openings underneath the aircraft, including the outflow valve, the air inlet for the emergency RAT, the avionics inlet, the extract valve, and the flow control valve. It is meant to slow flooding in a water landing. The flight crew did activate the "ditch switch" during the incident. Despite this the aircraft still sunk, slowly, as the impact tore several small holes in the fuselage. Flight Take off and instrument failure The first officer was at the controls of the flight when it took off to the northeast from Runway 4 at 7:55 p.m., and was the first to notice problems with the aircraft about two minutes later, while passing through an altitude of about 2,700 feet (820 m) on the initial climb out to 15,000 feet (4,600 m). According to FDR data, the full instrument failure occurred when the airplane was at an altitude of 2,818 feet above ground level (agl). Subsequently, the airplane’s altitude continued to increase while the airspeed decreased, until 7:57:30, when the airplane reached its highest altitude of about 3,060 feet (930 m) at an airspeed of about 185 kts calibrated airspeed (KCAS). The altitude then started to decrease as the airspeed started to increase, reaching 210 KCAS at 7:58:10 at an altitude of about 1,650 feet (500 m). As the controls became more and more temperamental, the captain took to the controls. At 7:59 both engines failed, and the first officer began going through the three-page emergency procedures checklist in an attempt to restart the engines. At 7:59:36, using the callsign "Lightning 980", the flight radioed air traffic controllers at Leeds Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), saying: "Lost all instruments. We've lost thrust on both engines. We're turning back towards Leeds." Passengers and cabin crew later reported hearing "very loud bangs" in both engines and seeing flaming exhaust, then silence from the engines and smelling the odor of unburned fuel in the cabin. Responding to the captain's report of a bird strike (which they originally thought it was), the controller, who was working the departure position, told Leeds control tower to hold all waiting departures on the ground, and gave Flight 980 a heading to return to Leeds and told him that he could land to the southeast on Runway 13. The captain responded that he was unable. Shortly after, an argument occurred between the pilot and first officer, the pilot saying that they could not reach Leeds and would instead crash short in the village of Charnock, and the first officer (incorrectly) insisting that they could make it. In the end the pilot took control, and prepared for a ditching. Ditching In the end, however, the captain told controllers that "We can't do it", and that "We're gonna be in the River Home", making clear his intention to bring the plane down on the River Home due to a lack of altitude. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft pass less than 65 feet (20 m) above Home Town Hall. About 90 seconds before touchdown, the captain announced, "Brace for impact", and the flight attendants instructed the passengers how to do so. The plane ended its six-minute flight at 8:01 pm with an unpowered ditching while heading south at about 130 knots (150 mph; 240 km/h) in the middle of the River Home's river pool section. The ditching button was pressed before landing. When the plane hit the water the force of the impact tore holes in the fuselage and the downward momentum made it sink immediately, before floating back to the surface after less than two seconds. After coming to a stop in the river, the plane began drifting southward with the current, but minutes later became stranded on a rock. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Board Member Kitty Higgins, the principal spokesperson for the on-scene investigation, said at a press conference the day after the accident that it "has to go down as the most successful ditching in aviation history." "These people knew what they were supposed to do and they did it and as a result, nobody lost their life." Evacuation Immediately after the 717 had been ditched in mid-river, the captain gave the "evacuate" order over the PA, and the aircrew began evacuating the 116 passengers, both onto the wings through the four mid-cabin emergency window exits and into two inflatable slides that double as a life raft, deployed from the front right and front left passenger doors (a further two in the rear could not be deployed as opening those doors would cause the plane to fill with water and sink more rapidly). Two flight attendants were in the front, one in the rear. Each flight attendant in the front opened a door, which was also armed to activate a slide/raft. It was later revealed that the impact with the water had ripped open a hole in the underside of the airplane, causing cargo doors to pop open and filling the plane with water from the rear, causing the rear to sink quicker. The flight attendant in the rear urged passengers to move forward by climbing over seats to escape the rising water within the rear of the cabin. One passenger was in a wheelchair. Having twice walked the length of the cabin to confirm that no one remained inside after the plane had been evacuated, the captain was the last person to leave the aircraft. Evacuees, wearing life-vests, waited for rescue on the partly submerged slides, knee-deep in icy river water. Others stood on the wings. Some, fearing an explosion, swam away from the plane despite the captain urging them not to. Air temperature at the time was about 44 °F (7 °C), and the water was 36 °F (2 °C) Rescue Local commercial vessels from Home City Transport responded almost immediately to the emergency. Home City Transport ferry MV Palm Coast was first on the scene arriving at the side of the plane just four minutes after the ditching, according to a time-stamped video released by Home City Council from a CCTV camera overlooking the river. Home City Transport ferry MV Freshwater was the second rescue craft to arrive reaching the plane a few minutes later. Third was MV Central ''a minute later. The aircraft's captain advised the ferry crew to rescue passengers on the wing before the passengers in the inflatable slides, as the inflatable slides provided a higher level of safety. Within minutes, vessels from Leeds Waterways were at the scene helping, as they had rushed over from Leeds. All of the passengers and flight crew were rescued safely by these vessels or Home City Transport vessels. On land, various ambulance crews arrived within minutes and declared a level III (All Hands) emergency and mobilized their Major Emergency Response Vehicle, Logistical Support Units and had 35 ambulances ready for patients coming off the flight. About 140 firefighters responded to docks near the crash. Home City Police sent squad cars, helicopters, vessels, and rescue divers. Injuries There were no serious injuries. In total, 38 people were treated, all for hypothermia. All victims that required treatment were taken to Leeds General Hospital. Delayed psychological effects were experienced as a result of the accident and rescue. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress including sleeplessness, flashbacks, and panic attacks were reported by members of the aircrew, passengers, and others directly involved. A number of the survivors received professional counseling, and some began an email support group to help ease the after-effects of the experience. Aftermath At 2057 fire crews began to stand down. At 2107 the Deputy CEO of Leeds Airlines, issued an official statement during a press conference in Clearwater, in which he confirmed that the flight had been involved in an accident. The flight crew, particularly the captain, were widely praised for their actions during the incident, notably by Mayor Tortimer, who said, "''We had a ''Miracle on Bluewater Oil. ''I do now believe we have had a Miracle in Home." Following the rescue, the Boeing 717 remained afloat, though partially submerged and slowly sinking, and was quickly moored to a pier. The passengers on the aircraft each received a letter of apology, 5,000 Bells in compensation for lost baggage, or 5,000 more if passengers can demonstrate more than 5,000 in losses, and a refund of the ticket price. Search for flight recorders The search for the three flight recorders, which were lost in the ditching, began on 16 November. The quick access recorder (QAR) was found almost immediately washed up on a riverbank shortly downstream. Shortly the QAR was discovered, a pedestrian on Home's East Bridge reported seeing an orange blob in the water float under the bridge and out the other side. This was later found to be a false alarm, as it was not a flight recorder (as they sink, not float) but a discarded traffic cone. On 17 November, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) was found on the riverbed shortly downstream. Early on 22 November, scuba divers found the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) on the riverbed, covered in sand. It has been brought to the surface. Shortly afterwards, the flight recorders were sent to the NTSB for investigation. Recovery of aircraft The left engine had detached from the aircraft during the ditching and was recovered several days later from the river bottom. The water was so murky that the right engine was initially thought to have also detached, but it was later found to be still in place on the aircraft (with much of its nacelle missing). On 17 November, the aircraft was removed from the pier and placed in an empty park adjacent. The aircraft was then moved by road to Leeds (withs wings still attached, despite some reports) for examination. The aircraft was found to be within the range of economical repair - just - and will be sent back to Boeing for repairs. Damage was limited to several holes below the aircraft, a missing engine, missing nacelle on the other engine, bent horizontal stabilizers, crippled landing gear, several smashed windows, and a whole cabin interior refurbishment needed due to water damage. Accident investigation The investigation began on 17 November. On 22 November, when the NTSB recieved the flight recorders, they determined that the cause was blocked pitot tubes. This caused incorrect airspeed readings in the cockpit, leading to the pilot believing they were going a constant safe speed when in fact they were decelerating, leading to a stall, which led to the engines turning off and a loss of all readings in the cockpit. Despite the lack of engines and instruments, the stall was recovered within seconds, but the engines, which had been damaged in the sudden power-down as flaming exhaust had shot out of them, could not be restarted and hence instruments could not be recovered, and the plane had to glide. On 15 January 2012 it was confirmed that the sellotape covering the pitot tubes had not been removed before take-off, like it should have been. This resulted in them effectively being useless, as seen in Air France Flight 447 when they were blocked by ice and also caused a stall and crash. Thus, the cause was found to be maintenance crew error. Awards The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators awarded the entire flight crew of Flight 980, except the co-pilot, a Master's Medal on the day after the accident. The medal is awarded only rarely, for outstanding aviation achievements at the discretion of the Master of the Guild. The citation for the award is: The reactions of all members of the crew, the split second decision making and the handling of this emergency and evacuation was 'text book' and an example to us all. To have safely executed this emergency ditching and evacuation, with the loss of no lives, is a heroic and unique aviation achievement. It deserves the immediate recognition that has today been given by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. The civilian and uniformed rescuers also received Certificates of Honor. Dramatization The crash featured in an episode of ''Seconds from Disaster ''titled "SPLASHDOWN!", which originally aired during the evening of 14 January 2012. The crash will also be featured in an episode of ''Air Crash Investigation ''titled "River Home Miracle", to be aired some time in February or March 2012.